While all Juray found was an ugly red-haired doll, Geralt had found signs of a struggle in the couple's room, along with a protective amulet. Upon questioning Phillip about what they found, they discovered the doll was supposed to be Triss Merigold, as the Baron had made it for Tamara when she was four. Phillip knew nothing about a fight as he was drunk that night, and the amulet belonged to Anna, but he had no idea how she came about it.

"Any witches or cunning women in the area?" Geralt asked.

"A pellar. Old coot lives near Blackbough. And there's a cunning woman in Midcopse, but I know little about her. She's only recently arrived. If Anna were to see someone, she'd chose the pellar, not the woman. Anna was wary of newcomers, strangers."

"Then we oughta have a chat with this pellar."

"Fair warning, he's a hard man to talk to. Rumor has it he killed his own father with an axe as a lad, then went batty. Now they say he sees ghosts and ploughs his goat."

"Well, that was a lovely image," Juray muttered.

"Not really interested in his hobbies," Geralt said. "Just want to ask about the amulet."

"Come on. Recently answered a notice in Blackbough, I know the way."

They stopped to speak with Gretka, who knew who Geralt was, and told them how much she missed Ciri before they left Crow's Perch and headed to Blackbough. Nothing seemed to have changed since Juray's last visit dealing with the extremely odd love triangle here. They were directed to the pellar's hut and found several of the Baron's men in front of it, trying to break down the door.

"If you ask nicely, he might open the door," Juray said as they approached.

"What do you freaks want?" one of the men asked.

"Here to see the pellar."

"Too late. We got dibs on a chat with him. A long one."

"Think you need to leave. Now." Geralt cast Axii.

"Do we?" another asked.

"You do," Juray added her own Axii knowing it would be stronger than Geralt's because of her curse.

"Well...," the first one said. "Let's go then." The men left and Geralt nodded at Juray, knowing what she did.

"Let's go have a friendly visit with the pellar," she said, approaching the door and knocking. "Anyone home?"

"It's safe now," Geralt called.

"Devils!" a man called from inside. "Who do they bring? What seek ye?"

"Need your help."

"Ooh, a man," he paused. "Nay, a wolf, grey though not old. 'Tis he the pellar awaits."

"Baron's right," Juray said. "He is batty."

The door opened, revealing an old man with very little hair, wearing robes and a necklace of chicken feet.

"And the wolf does not travel alone, but with a demon, a child of the winter moon."

Juray and Geralt looked at each other.

"Uh..."

"Come on," Geralt said before stepping inside. "You were expecting me?"

"Aye, as the bones declared I should. They shall come whose stench is rape and death, but the wolf shall disperse them. The White Wolf. And thus he comes. Omens never lie."

Geralt held out the amulet. "Recognize this?"

The pellar turned towards them.

"Made of spruce wood, smells of juniper. Designed to protect someone."

The pellar gave one glance and nodded. "Freshly cut spruce sprinkled with goat's blood, then tempered with an incense of earthsmoke and juniper. For Anna. To protect her."

"Take it you made it," Juray said.

"Aye, sure 'twas the pellar. After the ways of his forefather, over still water, in the light of a full moon. Proper as amulets go. It protected well. Should have never taken it off."

"What was it designed to protect her from?" Geralt asked.

"Oh the dear, besieged she was. Evil all around, wanting to possess her. Old magic born of oblivion, from dark sources emerged."

"Well that's specific," Juray commented.

"'Tis not for mouth speech, nor for the touch. A small protective charm, not a thing more a pellar could do."

"Anna and her daughter are missing," Geralt said. "Know where they are?"

"Nay, no, nay," The pellar turned away. "The pellar don't know. But the spirits could know. The pellar could auger, the spirits ask."

"Spirits, great, fine with me. As long as I know where to look, how to find them."

"Lost, lost, must be found. Princess!" He spun around. "None better than Princess for finding things!" He headed outside.

"Princess?" Juray asked, convinced without a doubt that the man was completely bonkers.

"Which princess?" Geralt and Juray followed the pellar outside.

"Princess!" he lamented, facing an empty pen, "My goat! She's fled."

"Those men must have scared her off." Geralt motioned back to the hut. "Can we get back to the augering?"

"Without the goat?" the pellar sounded heartbroken. "Impossible. No goat? Won't work."

"Guess I'm looking for a goat," Geralt sighed.

The pellar turned to Geralt. "The bell! The little bell's ringing. She loves it!" He handed the Witcher a little bell. "Ring, ring, and she will come. But beware of wild strawberries."

"Dangerous as monsters go," Juray laughed.

"Yeah, always keep an eye out for them myself." Geralt looked over at Juray. "I think I can track this goat on my own. Just keep him out of trouble."

"Yes, father."

While Geralt was off goat hunting, Juray stayed with the batshit crazy pellar helping him gather some of the ingredients they would need.

"White Demon. Snow Demon. Winter Demon."

"What are you going on about now?"

"The bones told me of you, Child of the Winter Moon, the demon that's not."

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"The white-haired child born on a winter's full moon, magic running through her veins."

"Hate to burst your bubble, but my parents were superstitious idiots that definitely were not mages. Trust me, nobody in that village had a drop of magic in them."

"The spirits do not lie. How do you think you were able to pass your trials? You think that you are cursed, do you not?"

Juray looked at him.

"'Tis not a curse, but a blessing, a gift. The magic in you would have come out whether you became a Witcher or not. The magic you do use is stronger yes?"

"A bit."

"And you know when monsters prowl, even without your wolf's head?"

"How did you know about this?"

"The spirits know much and to the pellar they speak."

At that moment Geralt returned with Princess in tow.

"Princess! Flee not from the pellar! There are wolves about." He knelt in front of her. "Goat of mine! Dearest, sweetest goat!"

"You okay?" Geralt asked, noticing the look on Juray's face.

"I'm fine," she answered. "We should do this ritual."

"Anna and Tamara might be in danger."

The pellar stood. "The White Wolf helped the pellar. The pellar will help the White Wolf. Blood! We need blood. A living being." The pellar turned and headed into the hut.

"Your turn to stay with the crazy old man," Juray said, turning on her heel and quickly walking into the surrounding forest.

"What the hell did he say to you?"

Juray returned with a rat as the pellar finished milking Princess. She held it up by its tail. The pellar nodded, the bowl of milk in his hand. He scattered herbs in an arc on the floor, pouring the milk over them. He threw the bowl aside, the pottery shattering into pieces. He then held his hand out and Juray handed over the rat. The pellar did an odd little ritualistic dance before slicing open the rat and adding its blood to the herbs and goat's milk. He fell to his knees, throwing the rat to the side, and a mist of some sort suddenly came off him.

"They are not here," his voice took on a demonic tone and the two Witchers looked at each other. "They are gone." He threw his head back. "Blood! I see blood!"

"Whose?" Geralt asked.

"No Anna... No Tamara... Just a child." The pellar pitched forward to his hands quieting. After a moment he stood. "A child that lives not, yet did not die."

"Whose child?" Juray asked.

"Anna's."

"Anna was pregnant?" Geralt asked, surprise clear in his voice.

"She was. And she miscarried."

"The Baron didn't mention that."

"Afraid, perhaps. Or ashamed. Or forgetful. Or he did not wish to remember."

"Anna tell you all this? Did she come here after it happened?"

"Nay, not Anna. 'Twas the omens told me."

"Great. So we can be sure it's true."

"The omens need not your faith to be true." He looked over at Juray as he said it and she crossed her arms before he turned his attention back to Geralt. "It is you who needs the omens to lead you to the truth."

"The Baron have anything to do with his wife's miscarriage?"

"Foul-tempered he is. And he's a fondness for hooch."

"No doubt makes his temper fouler," Juray commented. "Did he abuse his family?"

"The pellar's old, near-blind." He looked over at his goat as she grazed happily from a bucket of feed. "But Princess came and licked her hand."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"She's a wise beast, only comes to those who suffer."

"What happened to the child?" Geralt asked.

"In a grave thrown, without rite or ceremony, it awoke. Now it wanders, it seeks vengeance."

"A botchling," Juray said.

"Aye, wise moon child. Catch the botchling, the botchling will help, lead the wolf and the demon to the loved ones."

"That'll only work if we can lift the curse, turn it into a lubberkin."

"I've never lifted a botchling's curse." Geralt looked at Juray. "Have you?"

"Vesemir said that James has been the only one to successfully do it." She looked back at her friend. "But I'm positive we can do it."

"If you cannot, kill it and bring me its blood. Blood will always find kindred blood."

"We also need to have a long discussion with the Baron on withholding information."

"Perform the Aymm Rhoin," the pellar added.

"The Ritual of Naming?" Geralt asked. "That's an elven custom."

"Whatever the origin," Juray stated. "We need to give the child a name in order to turn it into a lubberkin."

"Win a spirit's favor, and the spirit shall aid you," the pellar continued. "Ask and it will answer. Seek, and it will show you the way."

"Whatever we do, need to find it first," Geralt said.

"Seek it at midnight, at the grave that lies empty."

"Come on, Geralt. We don't have much time. Baron has to know where the grave is."

"Wise demon, wise wolf."

Geralt looked over at Juray as they headed back to Crow's Peak. "What was said?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know he said something to you. Something that's made you think."

"Nothing I want to discuss with you."

"That's cold."

"It's actually something I would rather discuss with Triss or Yennefer."

"Does this have something to do with why he kept calling you moon child?"

"Maybe."

"And you can't talk to me about it."

"Geralt!" Juray snapped. "I don't pry into your business, do I?"

Geralt sighed. "Your family's still a sore subject, isn't it?"

"Unlike you, I didn't get lucky enough to have that memory wiped away during the Grasses. So drop it."

Geralt held a hand up. "Fine."

They rode in silence, Geralt stealthily watching her until she broke their silence.

"Is that smoke?"

Geralt looked at her fully and she motioned ahead of them. Geralt looked and saw smoke over the trees. They turned a bend and saw Crow's Peak, one of the buildings engulfed in flames.

"Lightning strike?" Geralt suggested as they urged their horses into a gallop.

Once they crossed the bridge, they saw villagers running about almost in a panic and dodging the Witchers' horses. Once they reached the gates, they quickly dismounted and saw the stables were what was on fire, but no one moved to extinguish the inferno. Two men were standing nearby, one looking like he was about to panic.

"Are you people blind?" Geralt asked. "Is no one willing to put it out?"

"Ain't that simple," the older man said. "People are afeared. Baron flies into a rage, he takes no prisoners."

"The Baron did this?" Juray asked.

"My brother's in the stable," the other man, a soldier, cried. "Please! We have to save him! He'll burn alive! Him and the horses!"

Juray looked towards the burning stables before taking off at a run towards it.

"We'll find your brother," Geralt said before following her. She was already in the building by the time he reached it, following her inside. "Juray!"

"Down here!" She and the stable hand were breaking open the paddocks and leading the horses out. "Break open the door!"

Geralt used Aard to blast open the doors and Juray and the stable hand herded them out.

"Thank you!" he said.

"Go find your brother."

He ran out the door. Juray made sure there was no one else left behind before she followed him. Just in time to see Phillip throw a punch at Geralt. Geralt instantly reacted, dodging the punch and landing a few of his own. Phillip went down and Geralt dragged him over to the nearby trough and shoving his head under the water.

"Geralt!"

After a couple of dunks, he dropped him next to the trough, sputtering and coughing.

"We need to talk," Geralt growled. He picked up the Baron and led him back to the fort.

"And will somebody put out that fucking fire?" Juray snapped as she followed after them, the stench of hooch assaulting her nose in the process.

After Geralt dragged him back to his office, Phillip tried to go after the hooch again but found that Juray packed as hard of a punch as Geralt. He was now sporting a black eye to go along with the fat lip Geralt gave him. He finally decided to stand by the fireplace before Geralt roughly told him to sit.

"You beat them," Geralt confronted Phillip with what they learned from the pellar.

"I never laid a finger on Tamara, not once," Phillip insisted as he did as the Witcher said.

"And Anna?" Juray asked, leaned against the table while Geralt had taken the other chair in front of the fireplace.

"That's another story."

"Mhm.

"She always knew how to spark my ire."

"Oh, is this another 'If she didn't make me mad, I wouldn't beat the ever-loving shit out of her' type thing?"

"Juray." Geralt wasn't in the mood for Juray's mouth. "You expect us to believe you were a loving father to Tamara after that display in the courtyard?"

"You two are free to believe whatever you wish." He looked over at Geralt. "But Tamara was the apple of my eye. She had the run of the place, ask anyone. She'd ride the horses, hunt with the men, at times join them on their rounds. And they'd send for her when I flew into a rage, for only she could calm me."

"Make it sound like she led a charmed life. If that's the case, why'd she run?"

"I'd hardly need you if I knew."

"I'd like to get back to the 'Anna knew how to make me mad' part," Juray said. "Not the submissive wife you wanted?"

Phillip glared at Juray. "Twenty years we've known each other. She's seen me drunk and sober. She was there to greet me when I returned the victor. She was there to patch me up in defeat. Like no other, she knew where to press, where to pinch, so it would hurt."

"Sounds like you and Lambert," Geralt quipped.

Juray rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, I've wintered with him for seventy years. Plenty of time to know how to get on each other's bad side. On purpose."

Phillip looked at her wide-eyed, no doubt her youthful appearance having thrown him off.

Juray brought the topic back to the baron and his wife. "So you beat your wife for criticizing you?"

"You two haven't a clue, have you?" Phillip looked between the two. "Perhaps I will tell you about it one day. One day. Not today."

"You knew they had run from the start," Geralt said.

"Yes, I knew."

"Then you wasted our time!" Juray growled. "Had us running after leads that you knew would lead us to finding out what really happened!"

Phillip stood, knocking the chair back and spinning towards Juray. Geralt jumped up as well, Juray holding her hand up to stop him from advancing towards the Baron.

"What if I had told you, hmm? What if I'd said I had problems, couldn't control my wife and daughter? What kind of flaccid prick would you take me for?"

"Well, you are definitely a prick."

Phillip glared at her, balling his fists.

"But I don't think that because you couldn't control them. You're a prick because you drove them away!"

"What?"

"Don't play the idiot," Geralt said. "She's right. They left because you gave them no choice."

Phillip seemed to deflate then. "Anna and I..." He hung his head. "It wasn't as it seemed, seems."

"Then tell us the truth," Juray said. "What really happened?"

The men sat down again.

"I'd been soakin' myself three days straight. Anna came to me, said they were leaving. I begged them to stay. She refused to hear it. I tried to stop her. She wriggled like an eel, we struggled, she fell. Last blasted thing I remember. Woke up in the morn, breeches heavy with me own piss, a large bump on my head. Sadly, they were gone. Know what that's like, Witchers?" He looked between the two. "No, how the fuck could you? I was left with nothing! Nothing! Only the bottle..."

"Tamara present for all this?" Geralt asked. "She see you quarrel?"

"Through the doorway, perhaps? She didn't enter the room. Shame, too. Things might've turned out differently. Sight of her always calmed me."

"The signs of the fight in the room I found, was that you?"

"Aye. She tried to whack me on the noggin with a candlestick, but kept missin'. Hit the wall and the pillar instead. Staggered back onto the table, spilled the wine, slipped and fell. Anna used that moment to flee. She rushed down the stairs, still clutching that damned candlestick. I caught her on the landing. We fell. I thought I had her, then she whacked me in the head with the candlestick. I blacked out. Don't know what happened next. When I awoke, I was alone."

"What happened then?" Juray prompted.

"It only got worst. It was sundown when I awoke. Didn't know how many days had passed. Thought it was all a ploughin' nightmare. Went to the bedchamber, but Anna wasn't there. Instead... there was blood everywhere."

"From where she miscarried."

"Aye. My breath short, my throat locked, I neared the bed and there it was. Tiny thing, defenseless... on bloodied sheets..." Phillip's voice broke. "Dead. And it was my doing." He put his head in his hands and Juray could feel regret coming off him.

"Your doing or not, but that amulet she wore could be important. Or maybe the fact she lost it."

Phillip didn't move.

"What did you do with the child?" Juray asked.

"What was I supposed to do, leave it there? I took it out and buried it."

"Just buried it?"

"Damn you! I gave no thought to a funeral! It was a horror, I wanted it to end! That child had been my dream. I said to Anna 'A little one, our little one, to make things right.' But she died before she could be born! Do either of you understand? My child was dead!"

"I sympathize," Geralt said, while Juray remained silent. "I do."

"Thank you. And know that I hope you find your Ciri."

"The deal we made means I have to find Tamara and Anna first. Just so happens your unborn daughter can help with that."

"How?"

"Not giving her a funeral cursed her and turned her into a botchling," Juray said.

"Into fucking what?"

"It draws its strength from killing pregnant women. Once it's strong enough, it kills those who scorned it. Meaning she'll come after you."

"But how does it know?"

"Blood ties are a strong bond. It's a bond we can use to find Anna and Tamara."

"How?"

"One of two ways. My personal preference is burying under the threshold and performing a ritual to turn it into a lubberkin. Which is a guardian spirit that would lead us to your family."

"And the other?"

"We kill it and use its blood to find them," Geralt said flatly.

Phillip turned to him. "Do not kill my child! She's suffered enough!" He turned to Juray. "Do the ritual, please. So she may finally rest in peace."

"Where did you bury her?"

"I'll show you. And I'll dig the grave under the threshold myself."

"If we can't turn the botchling into a lubberkin, they can bury us in it," Geralt said.

Juray rolled her eyes. "We'll need to do this at midnight," she said. "We'll collect you then. Use the time to sober up. We can't do this with you shitfaced."

"I'd prefer if you waited here with me."

"Get word out to the common folk," Geralt said. "Oughta stay in their homes tonight and draw a line of salt outside their doors."

Phillip nodded and went to give the orders to his men to spread the word.

Geralt turned to Juray. "Planning on doing this yourself?"

"I'd rather not kill it if we don't have to." She turned to Geralt. "Don't you think he has enough guilt from causing his daughter's death? Or do you want to send him over the edge by killing her in front of him?"

"For someone who's never had a surprise child, you sure act like a parent."

"Just because I never actually brought a child to Kaer Morhen, doesn't mean I never cared for one." Juray walked away before Geralt could respond.